Torque and Drag

Advanced Drilling Engineering

PMRE 6015
What is Drag
• Frictional force on a moving body against its direction of motion

Drag force on an airplane

Drag on a drill string
• Straight section
• During build up
• During drop off
Problem 1
• What is the maximum hole angle (inclination angle) that can be
logged without the aid of drillpipe, coiled tubing or other tubulars?
(assume dynamic friction factor=0.4)
Problem 2
Consider a 5-in. drillpipe with a buoyant weight of 20.15 lbf/ft in a wellbore,
as shown schematically in Figure. It is known that a BHA with a weight of
20,000 lbf is suspended below the drop-off section of the well; the friction
coefficient is 0.2. The S-type well trajectory parameters are as follows:
• KOP is at 1,100 ft; the radius of the buildup section is 558 ft; the length of
the buildup section is 439 ft; the
• tangent length (sail length) is 4,292 ft; the inclination angle for the tangent
section is 45°; the radius of the
• drop-off section is 558 ft; and the drop-off length is 439 ft.
Calculate the axial force in a drillpipe at Point 4, Point 3, Point 2 and Point 1
on the well trajectory for the following three cases:
1. Static (frictionless) conditions
2. Tripping out of the hole
3. Tripping into the hole
Problem 2 (contd.)
Problem 2 (Contd.)
Problem 2 (Contd.)
• Calculate the torque needed to rotate the string in a drop-off portion
of the well in Problem 2. (Section 4-5)
Problem 3
An S-shaped well is shown in figure. Assume that a 5 in. drillpipe is
placed in the well down to the bottom end of the drop-off section, and
that a 500 kN bottom-hole assembly is installed to bottom. The unit
weight of the drill pipe is 0.294 kN/m, and the pipe radius is 0.0635.
Assume that the data are corrected for buoyancy, and that the
coefficient of friction is 0.2.
a) Compute and plot the static weight of the string.
b) Compute the total hookload required to lift the string
c) Compute the hookload needed to lower the string.
d) Compute the torque.
e) Discuss the frictional effects of straight sections versus bends.
Problem 3 (Contd.)
1

2
3

4
5
Assignment 1
Question 1.
For a drop off bend (see figure) show that axial
loads can be expressed using the following
equations. (You are expected to show the full
integration process)
(i) during pulling out of hole

(ii) during running in hole

Assignment 1 (Contd.)
• Solve Problem 3 (Slide 9) using Excel. Also
work out the axial loads at points 1,2,3,4,5 for
three conditions (static, pulling out, running in
hole) by hand calculations the way it was done
in the class. You are supposed to submit both
the excel file (soft copy by email)and the
detailed axial load calculations (hand written,
hard copy)

Assignment 1 has to be submitted no later than 17th November 4pm

(both hard and soft copy)